In Revelation 16 the Lord made the most important announcement to mankind that will ever be made. That announcement is made when this seventh vial is poured out on the inhabitants of the earth and the Lord says, IT IS DONE! In other words the world as we know it to be will be destroyed by almighty God.
Look at Rev. 16:17-21 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. 18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. 19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. 20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.
After the Lord has declared that all twenty-one judgments has taken placed on the inhabitants of the earth one of the angels come to John and says, Revelation 17:1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters.
Remember the same word after the church age is over and the rapture takes place in Revelation chapter four He tells John in Revelation 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
Let me interpret this verse of scripture, one of the seven angels that poured out the seven vials “Come here, I want to show you why these seven vial judgement was poured out on the GREAT WHORE!!!
There has always been evil in the world from the time of Adam and Eve. But since the days of Babylon there has been an organized opposition of evil to oppose God. This organized religion has caused the blood shed of God’s people and now the Judgment of God is being poured out on these ungodly people.
The Bible tells us during the tribulation period the inhabitants on earth will experience suffering like the world has ever experienced before.
Due to 144,000 missionaries and the two witnesses many will come to know the Lord. But many of these will have their heads removed for the stand they take to serve the Lord. They were brutally killed.
We read about these in Revelation 6:9-10 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
God made a promise to these who have suffered during the tribulation, that the people who cause them to suffer would be punished.
In Revelation 17 and 18 the angel is showing John why God is sending judgement on these people.
The final judgment will be in Revelation 19 at the battle of Armageddon.
In Revelation 17 God describes this false teaching that has seduce many to follow after the great whore and now they are being punished for their:
1) False teachings in opposition to the Word of God
2) Their punishment of shedding the blood of those who would not take the mark of the beast.
This now leads us to Revelation chapter 18.
• In Revelation 17 we have already seen the destruction to be unleashed on religious Babylon in the beginning of the Great Tribulation period.
• In Revelation 18 the destruction of the commercial Babylon will take place but will not take place until the end of the Great Tribulation.
Some Bible scholars do not distinguish between the destruction of chapter 17 and that of chapter 18, but mold them altogether.
The following 4 reasons establish that they are not the same.
1. "After these things" (Rev 18:1), this expression indicates that the events described (in chapter 18), will not take place until after the events of chapter 17 have been fulfilled.
2. "I saw another angel coming down from heaven" Events of chapter 17 were introduced by "one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls" (Rev 17:1). The angel referred to (in chapter 18), is obviously not the same as the one who introduced the events of chapter 17 because this is angel is referred to as ANOTHER ANGEL.
3. Babylon the prostitute of chapter 17 will be destroyed by the kings of the earth (Rev. 17:16). The Babylon of chapter 18 will be destroyed by the cataclysmic judgments of God.
4. The kings who destroy the Babylon of chapter 17 rejoice. In the Babylon of chapter 18, the kings and merchants lament and weep for her (Rev. 18:9-15).
Look at Revelation 18:1 "And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory."
Notice this angel (Rev. 18) come, he will come with "great authority" and that he lights the earth with his glory.
Remember in Rev. 16:10 the fifth angel poured out his vial and plunged the world into darkness. Look at these words concerning this angel “Earth was lightened with his glory”.
This "angel" (in verse 1), we see here that this powerful Light of Jesus, even though second hand through the angel, still lightens the earth.
Revelation 18:2 "And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird."
“Babylon the great is fallen” Notice, the Greek text views the results of this as if it had already taken place. But the seventh vial is being referred to here and it is yet to come at this point (16:17-21). When it comes, devastation and annihilation will take place.
The message of this angel who cries with a "mighty voice" is this: "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!" Since chapter 18 seems to describe the destruction of a literal commercial city, the governmental capital of the world during the Tribulation, we naturally ask ourselves the question, "Where is that city?" Again, Bible prophecy students are not in agreement.
? Some suggest the city of Rome,
? Some who believe we should take the Scriptures literally whenever possible inclined to believe that the city of Babylon will be rebuilt.
The message of this angel who cries with a "mighty voice" is this: "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!"
In (Rev. 18:10, 16, 18, 19, and 21), you find reference to this Babylon being a city.
(In verse 2), the angel cried mightily and said "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen". The “literal” interpretation would dictate that indeed this Babylon is a city.
The same applies here. Commercial Babylon is a corrupt commercial, social and political system that will be destroyed at the end of the Tribulation.
Revelation 18:3 "For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies."
• Revelation chapter 17, Religious Babylon is lured into spiritual drunkness and fornication with her false gods (Rev. 17:2-4).
• Revelation chapter 18 Commercial Babylon, seduces the unbelieving world into a materialistic stupor, so that the people of the world will become drunk with passion because of their relationship with Babylon.
The corruption may have had its beginnings at the city of Babylon, but believe me it has spread to every corner of the earth (Nations and tongues). It will not be until the earth is totally destroyed that this evil will be no more.
Looking ahead at what it says in:
Rev. 18:23: "For thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived".
So, you see this is a city but a very corrupt city that is being destroyed by God by his Judgment to prepare for the coming Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.
This city is the headquarter where this prostitute will reach into all the world.
From this city we read in Revelation 13 that ALL THE WORLD WILL WONDER AFTER THIS ANTI-CHRIST.
However believers must be separate from the harlot system, or else they may be found to share in “her sins” and thereby “receive” part of her judgment.
Revelation 18:3-8 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double. How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
Revelation 18:4 "And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues."
“Come out of her, my people”:
The message is abandon the system before it is destroyed.
Look at 2 Cor. 6:14-17 below, for a good example of this: Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?(15) And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? (16) And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in [them]; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.(17) Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you.
True believers, who are still in this type of church, are very foolish. God through this "voice from heaven" is saying, "Come out of her my people".
This is speaking of the apostate church. He leaves no doubt what a person should do if they are caught in these apostate churches.
Illus: Methodist – homosexuals
Illus: Ted Wallace – virgin birth
Illus: Mormons wanting to use our parking lot.
Illus: Donations (Ben Arnold)
You see, even though you are not committing sin, as such. You are committing sin by association. If you do not remove yourself, you are guilty of her sin. In (verse 4 above), we read that her plagues will come to you as well.
For example, the catholic church the Bible teaches we should not bow down to graven images of anyone or anything.
Exodus 20:4 "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness [of any thing] that [is] in heaven above, or that [is] in the earth beneath, or that [is] in the water under the earth."
This idol worship goes back to Babylon. (God of Tammuz)
Be careful how you worship. Be careful about the things of God. Know who Jesus is and why you worship Him. Even check out what I am saying. Do not be easily swayed by anyone. Be wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove.
The commercial, social and political systems of the Antichrist will receive double judgment for their sins.
Revelation 18:5 "For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities."
Babylon's sins will pile up like a new Tower of Babel, but unlike the ancient tower, her sins will reach as high as heaven.
Then an angel states that God has remembered her sins. He will take note of them as He did that earlier monument to man's sinful, arrogant, prideful rebellion at Babel.
It is always good to remember that all of Revelation was addressed to the church. Even now, here, when He has already passed judgement on this apostate church which is yet to take place, He is crying out for individuals to come out of this apostate church. Jesus calls us all to righteousness and holiness in Him. It is up to us to answer that call.
Revelation 18:6 "Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double."
• “Double”: Has the sense of “full”, or “overflowing”.
• “Cup”: The cup of wickedness from which so many have drunk (14:8; 17:2, 4, 6), will call for the cup of wrath (14:10; 16:19).
This “reward her” simply means will recompense or repay commercial Babylon according to her works. All of those who are involved and are guilty will suffer double judgment as the cup is filled twice for her for what she has done to the Saints.
She will reap what she sowed.
Revelation 18:7 "How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow."
Notice how proud the false church is, for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
This is describing 3 sins she is guilty of.
(1) "She has glorified herself" meaning she was proud;
(2) "She lived Deliciously" meaning she pursued self-gratification; and
(3) "I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow" meaning she was not only proud but boastful.
That proud boast echoes that of ancient Babylon who said "I will be a queen forever" and I will not sit as a widow, nor know loss of children.
Revelation 18:8 "Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong [is] the Lord God who judgeth her."
“In one day”. This is saying that Babylon's destruction will not be progressive. The wicked city (system), will be instantly destroyed.
This section records the lament over Commercial Babylon’s destruction, not her sin, by those who were part of her system.
Revelation 18:9-20 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men. And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all. The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate. Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.
Notice, they lament, but not because of sorrow for their sins, but for the loss of outward comforts.
Revelation 18:11 "And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:"
These mourners are the merchants of the earth who will weep and mourn over Babylon because no one will be able to buy their goods anymore.
Revelation 18:12 "The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,"
• “Purple”: This refers to garments dyed with purple dye extracted from shellfish. Lydia (Acts 16:14), was a seller of such expensive garments. A distinctive mark of the Caesars was their purple robes.
• “Thyine wood”: Wood from North African citrus trees, highly valued because of its color, which was used to make extremely expensive pieces of furniture.
• “Marble”: Marble, imported from Africa, Egypt, and Greece, was widely used in Roman buildings.
It appears that these are classed in several types:
(1) Personal items of jewelry;
(2) Articles used for furniture;
(3) Nice smelling and tasting things;
(4) Food;
(5) Animals;
(6) Souls of men.
What significance this has, it means worldly things. Most of these are things a person could do without if hard times came and you had to, even maybe the food for a while.
While the ungodly is lamenting over material gods the Bible tells us that God’s people should REJOICE.
Revelation 18:20-24 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her. And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying,
• Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.
• And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee;
• And no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee;
• And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee;
• And the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. And
in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
Conclusion:
Now we understand why God has sent these horrendous plaques on the inhabitants of the earth.
It is done and now we are getting ready in Revelation 19 for the battle of Armageddon the last judgments on the inhabitants of the earth.
